


Lethallin

by memai



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-20
Updated: 2013-12-20
Packaged: 2018-01-05 06:31:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1090729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/memai/pseuds/memai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One Shot; When Mahariel is sure that his past had been left behind him, he's in for a shocking reunion as an old friend greets him once more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lethallin

They were known trouble makers, but no one could deny the bond Mahariel and Tamlen shared. No matter how much they fought and argued, no matter how long they had been separated from one another, they were as close as the roots and the earth. Always they would go on hunts together, and they always wore a most curious grin when around each other; as if they both knew some terrible, embarrassing seret, and were sparing the clan from it.

When the camp had been attacked that night by Shrieks, Mahariel's heart broke when he had seen a shambling figure, sick and disfigured call out to him, "Lethallin," voice strained and eyes wet.

It was Tamlen.

Bitterness swelled in the Dalish's heart, how dare that shem take him away from his clan and had the audacity to tell him that Tamlen ought not to be found. He should've died with his lethallin, they should've gone with the Creators together. Not this, not this.

Mahariel held his arms out, beckoning for his friend, "Lethallin, you live!" his voice was quiet, but oh, the volumes it spoke.

"No! Stay away! I... I am sick," he could see the hurt, the shame in Tamlen's eyes. Did he regret going into that cave? Should they have done better and went back to the Keeper?

"Lethallin please, I can help you..."

"No!" Tamlen had turned and ran as fast as he could into the forest, and Mahariel gave chase. Despite the sickness and corruption that flowed through him, Tamlen still ran as he did, quick and careful and with the guidance of the forest.

It was only when there had been no where else to run did Mahariel finally catch up with his brother.

"Please lethallin," Tamlen begged, "I am sick... he sings, he _sings_ to me, I want it... I want it to stop!"

Mahariel cried, quiet sobs as he watched what had happened to his brother.

"Lethallin, I can help you, I can help-- please, I know how to fix this please," he choked, "Damn that shem. He told me... he told me," Creators have mercy, "Lethallin please, let me help you."

"No, no! You... you have to end it."

"Lethallin please... I can't... I can't do what you're asking me to. Please."

"I'm... I'm sorry," and Tamlen looked right into him, and past the sickness and hurt, Mahariel could see his lethallin once more-- bright skinned and wild eyed, "I don't want to hurt you, lethallin," the agony in his voice, it hurt him so much.

Mahariel never wanted to be a Grey Warden, he wanted nothing more than to go back to his clan and stay with his family. Curse this blight and curse the shem that brought them back. He should've died, he should stayed with Tamlen, then they could've returned together.

And it took all of him to come to terms with Tamlen's request. He loved his brother too much, he had to grant him this mercy.

" _Ma nuvenin, lethallin..._ " He embraced his brother, tightly, as he drove a dagger into Tamlen's heart.

" _Ma serannas... Mahariel..."_

Tamlen slumped to the floor lifelessly, and Mahariel followed him down, still holding on tightly. He sobbed openly now, a hand holding his brother's head against his cheek tightly. None of this should've happened, neither of them should've lived to see what the world has become.

He stayed there for a long time, mourning the last of his ties to his clan. And for that long time, he had forgotten about the Blight, about Duncan, about Ostagar and the adventures he had with the other Wardens.

It was Amell who found him, and put a hand to his shoulder.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Mahariel," she bit her lip, hard, "But we... we have to go, we can't do this."

"You don't understand..." he managed.

"I don't, I know," she was different now, the quips and bad jokes were gone, there was only gentleness and kindness, but it didn't ease the pain any less, "But we have to go, Mahariel. It's... it's almost daybreak, we have to press on."

"I want to give him a proper funeral."

"We don't have ti--"

"Please," and he locked his gaze with Amell's, "Please, Quinn, please, allow me this. I have never asked anything from you or our companions, so please grant me this."

Quinn Amell looked like a scared child then, no longer the fiery mage that led their merry band of misfits through whatever danger that threw themselves at them. Her eyes were large and frightened, perhaps aware of the cost that this Blight had asked of the Wardens.

"Alright," she nodded, "We'll... we'll make time."

"Thank you, friend," and Mahariel finally released Tamlen, and daylight had finally broken through the forest, and onto the broken brothers.

_"You and Tamlen share a very special bond, da'len," Ashalle once told Mahariel before she put him to bed, his head on her lap as she combed through his dark hair, "It is good that you have someone you can call your brother, your friend, not many have the privilege to know such a thing."_

_"Tamlen's kind of dumb though," came the admittance that could only come from a child his age._

_Ashalle laughed as she kissed him on the brow, "That may be so, but we've never seen a friendship as strong as yours."_

_"I still think he's dumb."_

_A shake of her head as she tucked the young Mahariel into bed for the night, "Come now, rest, da'len. We've a long day ahead of us, come morning, and we'll need all our energy."_


End file.
